


On the First Day of College

by PoisonousTouch



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, College, Fantasy, Magic, Modern Era, Modern Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonousTouch/pseuds/PoisonousTouch
Summary: Today is a special day for Adele, as she gets ready for her first day of college. Getting up early, the young woman prepares to meet her childhood friend Mona, both of them excited at the thought of starting this new year learning what they had waited for so long to get to.
Kudos: 4





	On the First Day of College

The sun was slowly rising over the walls of the city of Calwenn. It was rising later and later these days, as summer was slowly getting to its end, with autumn closing in to take its place. Most in the urban landscape of Calwenn didn't mind all that much, as the weather was always quite merciful around this time of year. Granting its inhabitants a few more weeks of warmth before it was time to take out their coats and for the leaves on the trees to turn all shades of red, orange and yellow.

Life in Calwenn was quite nice. It was one of the oldest cities of the region and home to the duke of Grahnearl. Its inhabitants could enjoy some of the best amenities around, only rivaled by a few of the kingdom's cities. Work was plentiful, and the numerous networks of public transportation made it easy to navigate around. Hell, even its underground railroad was one of the most prominent infrastructures in the kingdom, a key position connecting the duchies to each other, with a direct line to the capital city.

But today would be another uneventful day in the suburbs. When the whole of Calwenn wasn't agitated by an incoming event, the residential areas of the city were mostly quiet. Away from the town center and the work districts. More often than not, only one thing could break the calm reigning there.

The buzzing sound of an alarm clock. Since she had started middle school seven years ago, it was to this annoying noise that Adele woke up every day, indicating that it was time for her to get out of the comfort of her bed and get ready for the day ahead. But whatever she did, the young woman always hated that.

After all, who didn't like to stay in bed just that little bit longer ? Staying warm and comfortable, and just enjoying a few more minutes of rest. But today was different. Adele turned around, slowly opening her eyes as she looked at the digital clock. 7 AM... As much as she didn't want to, the young woman had to get up now. Today was a special day... And she couldn't be late.

Adele turned off her alarm clock and, with a yawn, gathered all her strength to pull herself out of bed. She looked around her room for a bit, her feet hesitating as she searched for her slippers. The young woman's room wasn't anything fancy. Perhaps a bit tight, but she liked it as it was, with everything almost within arm's reach. She barely even had to move from her bed to get to her desk. She only had to get up to access her closet. And she didn't even need to leave it to grab something from the bookshelf at the end of her bed.

With her feet now protected from the cold wooden floor, Adele got up and turned toward the window. Slowly opening the curtains, her eyes needing some time to get used to the light after a comfortable night of sleep.

The young woman leaned on the window sill, rubbing her eyes as she looked at the street below. No one outside yet... Adele liked to just stay here a few seconds, observing how empty the road was, during the early morning.

Most of her neighbours wouldn't get out just yet. The street was so quiet, it was as if the whole area was still plunged in a deep slumber... And as far as Adele was aware, it was. No one in the neighbourhood had a personal vehicle, and until the passage of the bus, no motorized roars would echo in the street and break the silence.

Adele sighed. As enjoyable as this all was, she still needed to wake herself up properly... She needed some coffee. The young woman turned around, grabbing the small water can on her desk and quickly watering the plants on the shelf above her desk. And with that done, she walked out of her room, heading for the kitchen downstairs.

As Adele got out of her room, it was clear that she was the first one awake. She could only hear the ticking sound of the clock in the middle of the corridor, right above the mirror her mother had bought and hadn't find a place for just yet.

Walking in front of it, the young woman briefly looked at herself. Adele wasn't unpleasant to look at, perhaps a bit on the smaller side for her age. She had straight white hair, going down her shoulders and hiding her ears, with short bangs on each side of her thin face. Adele's eyes were a deep azure, rivaling the sea itself. But as lively and curious as the young woman usually was, she couldn't really start her day without something to wake her up. Plus, she definitely needed to take a shower... But her first objective wouldn't change. She needed caffeine in her system first and foremost.

Adele stopped looking at herself in the mirror and walked down the stairs before heading for the kitchen. She grabbed her favourite mug and turned on the coffee machine. Now, she just had to wait for the device to warm up and start pouring...

The young woman leaned on the kitchen counter, waiting for her beverage to be ready. Listening to the low rumbling of the machine while her parents were still sleeping.

A few moments later, Adele finally heard the sound of another living being, in the hoot of the family's pet. She turned around, looking to the creature standing on the table. His name was Pelo. An owlcat, an animal with the body of a cat and the head, wings and tail of an owl. A pretty common kind of house pet, although most people could barely take care of those. It was quite difficult to control a pet as mischievous as a cat and as agile as an owl. Pelo had black fur and feathers, and had been adopted by Adele's family when he was still an hatchling.

The young woman walked up to the owlcat, raising her hand to pet his head. « -Good morning, you... » almost whispered Adele, as Pelo nuzzled into her palm, purring. « Where have you been, last night ? »

Pelo had the bad habit of disappearing when the sun sets, only to reappear in the morning to ask his owners for food. He replied to the young woman with another hoot.

Adele chuckled, before moving her hand away. « -Fair, fair... Give me a moment. » She was used to Pelo's shenanigans, and walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of milk. The young woman then grabbed a bowl, placing it on the kitchen counter.

The pet owlcat took flight, joining her as she poured some milk into the bowl, calmly waiting until she was done. Once Adele's hand moved away, Pelo started lapping at the milk. His mistress giving him a few more pats as he did. Almost a morning ritual between the two, at this point.

But Adele's attention was drawn once more to the coffee machine, as she heard the characteristic purring of the device. Slowly filling her cup with that hot, dark beverage. Once the machine fell silent, the young woman picked up her mug, added some sugar into it and sat down at the table. The house still silent, except for Pelo lapping his milk.

Since high school, it was how most of Adele's days started. In this silence, alone with her owlcat. A perfect time to get lost in her thoughts, thinking about the day ahead. After all... Today was supposed to be a special day.

« -Already up ? » The voice of her mother pulled Adele out of her thoughts, making the young woman turn toward her. Adele's mother was in her mid-fourties, and her daughter had inherited the same white hair as her. But the older woman's haircut was shorter, her eyes green and her visage clearly marked by the passage of time.

« -Good morning, mom... » replied Adele, putting down her cup. « Kind of have to, if I want to be on time. Is dad still asleep ? »

« -No, he's already up. » Her mother nodded, taking place at the table next to her daughter. The older woman was wearing a pink nightgown, under a purple robe. « You know him, he doesn't need as much time as us to wake up. He's taking a shower. »

Adele raised her hand as Pelo joined the two at the table, having finished his milk. « -Okay. I hope he'll be done by the time I get back up... » The young woman gave some affectionate pats to the owlcat, who had decided to sit next to her mug. Adele picked it back up, taking another sip.

Her mother observed for a few seconds, smiling before petting Pelo in turn. « -I think you'll be able to get other things ready beforehand... So... How does it feel ? Knowing that in a few hours, you'll have your first day of college ? » asked the older woman.

« -Not that different from when I was in high school. » Adele nodded, returning a smile to her mom. « Aren't you tired of this question ? I think you've asked it when I entered middle school and high school too... » The young woman chuckled.

« -Oh, it's the very last time I can ask it, give me a break ! » laughed her mother. « It feels so weird that my little girl is already so grown up... Has Mona sent you a message yet ? »

Adele took another sip of coffee. « -I don't know... I didn't check my phone before going down. But I'm sure I'll find one when I get back to my room. »

« -How excited can this girl g- Hmf ! » The older woman suddenly tensed up, not finishing her sentence as her hand went to her back. Prompting her daughter to calmly put her mug down.

« -Are you alright, mom ? » asked Adele.

The older woman gritted her teeth. « -Hng... Don't worry, honey... It's just my back. You know how it goes... » Adele's mother had developed chronic back pains a few years prior, after a bad fall down the stairs. Even if she was fine most of the time, it happened that the pain came back and left her mom a wincing mess for a while.

Adele put her mug down again, before moving her hand up her mother's back. « -Here... Let me take care of it. It shouldn't take me too long. » A golden aura enveloped Adele's hand, making the older woman smile as she suddenly felt the magic coursing through her back.

It was one of the advantages of having a daughter who knew how to use healing magic. Adele's mother sighed of relief, as her pain slowly subsided.

« -Hah... Thank you very much, honey... » said the older woman with a relaxed tone. The soothing magic doing its work on her back. And soon enough, the pain completely disappeared, as if it had never been there to begin with. « I'm doing fine, now... You can stop. »

Adele looked at her mom with a smile, as the glowing aura disappeared in turn. Moving her hand away, as her mother returned her smile in kind. « -No need to thank me, mom. It's normal. » replied the young woman, as she took hold of her mug once more. « You should see a real doctor, it's been getting more common... I can help when it hurts, but I don't think I could really help make it go away. »

« -Heh... Yeah, it's big time I get this checked out again... » nodded the older woman. « I'm lucky that you're so talented with magic. » With a chuckle, Adele's mother wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders, pulling her close and kissing her on the forehead.

Adele giggled at this show of affection, pulling away after a moment to get back to her coffee. « -And if they can't find anything, perhaps I'll learn something in college to relieve you for longer periods of time. »

« -Well, that would be ideal ! » said her mother, as Pelo moved again, jumping on the older woman's lap and getting comfortable.

« -Hm hm... Anyway. » Adele nodded, as she finished her coffee, setting the mug back down. « I should eat something, before I get back up... Do you want me to turn the coffee machine on for you ? »

« -That would be nice of you, honey... » the older woman nodded back. Adele then got up, going around the kitchen to grab everything she needed to make herself some breakfast. Hopefully, her father would be done with his shower after that...

With her breakfast taken care of, Adele went back up the stairs and walked to her room. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, checking her messages and realizing that Mona did send her something. Asking for the young woman to meet her in front of the college's gate.

After confirming she'd be there, Adele went to the bathroom and, took a quick shower. She then got back to her room to get dressed. Donning a white dress with golden hemps and short sleeves, with the front opened from her knees to her underbelly. Underneath, the young woman put on grey shorts, relatively loose and allowing for a wide array of movements. Finally, she completed her outfit with a belt adorned with a butterfly-shaped buckle, passed around her waist.

Adele then grabbed everything she would need for the day. Her bag, her phone, her earbuds... Once she was ready, the young woman went down, put on her shoes and headed out for the day.

Outside, the street was still pretty quiet. But the neighbourhood was waking up, giving Adele the opportunity to greet some of her neighbours as she walked toward the bus stop. When she arrived, the young woman put on her earbuds to listen to some music while waiting.

Once the bus was there, it was the same as usual. Beeping her card, then sitting down until she arrived to her destination. But today, she wouldn't really get down at the same stop she did, during the last few years. This time, her journey would be a bit longer, so... Adele had time to kill.

The young woman rested her arm against the window, looking at her phone. She quickly wrote a message to Mona, telling her friend that she was on the way. And soon enough, an excited response would find its way to Adele's inbox.

She chuckled, before looking through the bus's window. On its way out of the suburbs, Adele liked to look at the various houses she saw a million times, but mostly, to look at the fortifications around Calwenn. Ancient, tall walls that were erected to protect its inhabitants from monsters and invaders alike.

Of course, Adele had seen beyond the walls. Quite a few times, even. But she wanted more. She wanted to get outside of the city and see the wilds. See what the world had to show, away from the safety of the city. Exploring, seeing the things that the underground train wouldn't allow people to see, perhaps even make a name for herself through her travels...

It's why she learned the arcane arts in the first place. It's why she wanted to become an adventurer.

Half an hour passed, as the bus approached the outskirts of the center of Calwenn. And after a few more minutes of waiting, the vehicle stopped in Maglenn Street. The college was supposed to be nearby...

Adele looked around as she got off the bus. It didn't take her too long in order to guess where she was supposed to go, seeing quite a few people her age heading toward the same direction. The young woman started walking, taking off her earbuds before finally arriving to her destination.

Taking up a whole block all on its own, the Highlands College for Adventurers stood in front of Adele. A modern-looking set of buildings made of concrete and glass, visible through the wide automatized iron gate. The place was surrounded by walls, keeping the only obvious entrance to be through the main one.

The college itself was relatively small, compared to others in the city. But there still seemed to be quite a few students heading in. For this first day, the gates were kept open to welcome both newcomers and returning students. Groups of friends were gathering in the courtyard, catching up after summer vacation and getting together to start this new year well.

The Highlands College for Adventurers was an initiative of the Highlands Adventurer's Guild. One of the few around the globe, the guild had known a huge influx of new members, fourty years prior. But unfortunately, most of them were still novices and had no idea what they were doing or could barely even defend themselves. To ensure these new members would survive their assignments, the guild had to find a way to teach them how to be adventurers. Otherwise, the large amount of failure would have stained their reputation, and recovery would have been quite difficult.

And thus, the college was built for anyone to join. A formation in three years, at the end of which students would be able to go into the wider world and take on bounties and commissions. It was so successful that guilds across the world followed the Highlands's example, setting up their own schools to teach potential new recruits the bases of adventuring.

After a few years, an adventurer diploma was even created. Attesting that its possessor was a learned adventurer. It wasn't necessary to have one, for the guild to accept a new member. But those who had it could usually start working on bigger and more profitable assignments right away.

Adele went through the college's gate. Looking around the courtyard, she hoped the day would start with a visit of the campus for the new students. It was quite a bit larger than her high school... And if not, she'd have to explore around with Mona after the opening ceremony.

Speaking of which, the young woman was surprised she didn't see her friend. Was Mona not here yet ? Adele's eyes went from the buildings to the other students, observing and hoping to find her friend soon.

Besides, Mona was pretty recognizable to her. The courtyard was filled with apprentice adventurers, donning outfits as varied as their specialties. Colourful mage robes, armours made of leather and metal, hooded cloaks... The people of Calwenn had a certain taste for tailor-made outfits. A way to express themselves in their own, personal ways.

And quite a few were carrying a weapon. Swords, axes, bows, staves... Not really something Adele was that surprised to see. Just like guards, people were allowed to keep a weapon to defend themselves, should the situation arise. But usually, outside of the military, only adventurers were seen walking around with those.

After a few more minutes of searching, Adele stopped dead in her track, as someone jumped on her back and wrapped their arms around her neck. With an excited yell following shortly after. « -Adeeeeele ! There you are ! I've been looking for you everywhere ! Did you forget about me ? »

Adele smiled and laughed, as she tried to keep her balance from the sudden attack. She'd recognize that voice and excitement every time. It seemed as though Mona had found her first ! The young woman turned around in her friend's arms, returning the hug. « -Mona, I just arrived ! I was looking for you ! » replied Adele, more moderate in her reaction than her friend.

The two had known each other since primary school. Mona had long, messy brown hair and deep yellow eyes. Her face still had some of that childish chub, the bane of Mona's existence. How many times did she have to show her ID since she turned 18, just because of her cute cheeks. The girl was dressed in a thick, oversized dark blue coat that she kept open in order not to be too hot. Underneath, she was wearing a white button-up shirt as well as a brown checkered skirt going down to her knees. Mona had modified it a bit, sewing pockets to her skirt. She was good at it and needed them, so she did what she had to do.

Mona laughed in turn, as she let go of her friend with a smile. « -So THAT's why I couldn't find you ! You should have sent me a message, we could have met at the gate ! »

« -Ah, huh... Yes. Sorry about that, I got distracted looking around... » replied Adele, a bit embarrassed. It wasn't the first time she forgot something because her curiosity got the best of her.

« -Bah, I found you anyway ! I would have been mad if I didn't see you before the ceremony started, though ! » smiled Mona, raising her hand to poke her friend's cheek. « It's sooooo exciting ! We're gonna be able to become real adventurers ! Do you think we'll be in the same class ? »

« -I'm sure we'll share some of them. » nodded Adele, returning her friend's smile. The young woman started walking toward the main building, noticing a small wooden stage in front of it. The dean would surely make their welcome speech here, she thought.

Mona followed the other girl, an intrigued look on her face. « -Share some of them ? What do you mean ? Aren't we going to be in the same class ? » she asked, raising an eyebrow.

« -... You didn't read the pamphlet, did you ? » Adele questioned back.

« -I... » started the other girl, raising a finger. Before changing her mind and putting it back down. « … Might have put it somewhere and forgot to read it. »

The white-haired girl chuckled, as Mona looked away in embarrassment. « -You really need to start reading those... » commented Adele.

« -Yeah, I know, but I was busy making myself a new pet ! » The other girl pouted. « I finally managed to find a way to graft that frog leg that didn't want to cooperate with me, it couldn't wait ! »

« -Of course, it couldn't. » replied Adele, rolling her eyes. « Well, I'll fill you in real quick. Basically, instead of having entire classes of thirty people or so, we get to choose which courses we want to take. These classes are only made out of people who took that specific course, meaning you wouldn't end up with the same people every time. Once we've chosen those, we get assigned to a small group, with which we're supposed to stay for our entire time in college. And with which we'll form some sort of adventuring party for some of our assignments and such. To teach us teamwork and give us an idea as to how adventuring really is, or something like that. Is it clearer ? »

Mona frowned, as her friend finished her explanation. No established classes, outside of courses ? That was an odd change. « -Really ? And we don't have, like... Courses that are for everyone ? »

« -We do, but it's more for team stuff than anything, really. » nodded Adele. The young woman could guess this wouldn't be to her friend's taste. Mona loved mingling with her classmates, between and during classes. The fact she wouldn't be with the same persons from one to the other would most certainly bum her out. Especially since outside of breaks, she wouldn't be able to see Adele all that much. Sure, they'd have some classes in common... But between the curriculum of an healer and a necromancer's, few classes were the same.

« -Awww... Well, I hope we'll end up in the same party, at least ! » Mona's displeasure was soon replaced with optimism. After all, without knowing how the parties were made, she could at least hope. Perhaps, if they gave the students a say in who they'd be paired with, she'd even end up with Adele !

« -That would be nice. At least, I know I'll have a teammate I can count on. » replied the white-haired girl. Adele knew the two's arts weren't really complimentary. But she knew Mona well enough to know they'd work well together. Mona's creations were already impressive as they were, the girl sewing up corpse parts together and reanimating them to make her pets. The white-haired girl could only guess what she'd come up with, during her courses.

The two girls stopped at the edge of the crowd, facing the stage as the dean walked up to the microphone that was set on it. To welcome the new students, as they left the world of high school and joined the college to realize their dreams.

Adele didn't really know what to expect of it all. After all, the Highlands College for Adventurers was a lot different from other schools. She was certain of one thing, however. She'd do her best to become an adventurer.


End file.
